SIR Alex Ferguson might have a dodgy hip that’s helped forced him into retirement but he was still sharp enough to sell Denis Law a dummy.

The Old Trafford legend known as the “King” during his playing days with Manchester United was with the manager for a conversation at the ground last week.

And yesterday the Lawman recalled how his fellow Scot kept the biggest secret in football to himself while the pair were socialising.

Law said: “I was talking about how Sir Alex would go on until he was 90 and then contemplate retirement and he never cracked a light that he’d already made up his mind to go.

“I was travelling from Manchester to London when the news was announced and I have to say I was shocked when I heard his plan to go at the end of this season.”

Law was being honoured at Wembley as one of 11 players from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales to have their image on a stamp to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Football Association and the 140th anniversary of the SFA.

But Denis wasn’t so stunned by the news of Sir Alex’s decision to retire that he couldn’t acknowledge there was no one to lick Ferguson as a manager.

Law said: “He comes from a line of men, which included Bill Shankly, Sir Matt Busby and Jock Stein, who were faithful to their Scottish upbringing.

“Sir Alex, like those who’d gone before him, knew he came from a hard-working people who asked to be entertained whenever they paid their money to watch football. And he didn’t disappoint them.”

The natural follow-up to that observation was to suggest Glaswegian David Moyes might be thought the next in line to assume the Scottish throne in England.

And Law wouldn’t rule out the Everton manager at the club where Scots have a way of royally succeeding.

Law said: “They said that it would be impossible to fill Sir Matt Busby’s shoes when he gave up as manager of Manchester United.

“But Sir Alex, when the time came for him to get his chance, managed to surpass Sir Matt.

“He followed in the footsteps of Sir Matt because he knew, in the same way that he did, how to handle players. Sir Alex would let them have so much room and then if they stepped out of line he’d come down hard on them.

“When you look at the number of trophies he’s won for Manchester United while carrying out his business like that you know he’s been the best of the lot.

“He’ll be a hard act for Moyes, or anybody else, to follow but whoever gets the job will need the patience of the board to succeed.

“It’s astonishing to think there was talk of sacking Alex at one time and it took the winning of the FA Cup to save his job and give him stability at Old Trafford. Will the next man get the same level of patience in a world that’s changed beyond recognition since those days?

“I sometimes wonder what directors expect today.

“Roberto di Matteo won the Champions League with Chelsea last season and he still got the bullet from Stamford Bridge. That amazed me. What do you need to win to keep people happy?”

Law was reluctant to go out on a limb on who should get the job of replacing Ferguson because one of the greatest players of all time doesn’t feel qualified to make that judgment.

But he knows whoever gets the nod, they’ll have a massive job on their hands.

He said: “I’ve never been a manager and I haven’t got a clue what will go into the selection of the man to replace Fergie. What I do know is it will be a difficult job for whoever gets it.

“Moyes strikes me as a tranquil kind of bloke who’s composed on the touchline.

“Jose Mourinho is an extraordinary guy, and also an exceptional manager, but I don’t see him ending up at Old Trafford.

“The funny thing is that Alex had that characteristic Scottish hunger to succeed but I knew instinctively I could never have done the job in spite of being a proud Aberdonian.

“I knew he had the right stuff when I watched from a distance as he managed the Dons to the championship in Scotland and broke the Old Firm’s monopoly of the game at the same time. Now we’re approaching the 30th anniversary of Aberdeen’s win against Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Gothenburg.

“The way he went about his business at Pittodrie, first of all establishing their domestic superiority then conquering Europe, was later replicated by him at Old Trafford.

“The tragedy for Sir Matt when his health deteriorated was that he went from the job when the team on the park wasn’t in the best of shape.

“But you certainly couldn’t say that about Sir Alex. United have a great group of players who have just celebrated the winning of the Premier League championship for the 20th time.

“I think he’s entitled to be called the greatest manager of all time, even if he did sell me a dummy over the news of his retirement. What was his finest hour? The answer to that is there were too many to mention.

“Has he changed over the 26 years at Old Trafford? Yes, he’s got grumpier.

“Has he done the right thing by going from the game at this time? How could he have any regrets when Alex has achieved as much as he did?

“You could ask him if he does harbour any secret regrets because he’s the only one able to properly answer that question.

“But I’d offer the observation of someone who’s been associated with Manchester United for decades.

“Sir Alex has made sure that the club has rock-solid foundations and who wouldn’t be proud of that legacy without having any reservations about handing over the reins to his successor?”